East Central Neighborhood Action Plan

The East Central Neighborhood Action Plan (ECNAP) is a citizen-generated policy regarding the future of the neighborhood, containing initiatives that will developed by the residents of the neighborhood with the assistance of the students. The ECNAP fell under the umbrella of the Muncie Action Plan (MAP), which is a strategic guide for the city to create an action agenda for the future. A partnership was established with MAP and Ball State University to help with the organization of neighborhoods, to assist with needs assessment/goal setting and to develop collaborative projects that meet the unique needs of each neighborhood. In addition to the action plan, a ECNAP handbook was also produced as a document to aid citizen planners when they begin to enact initiatives from the plan.

Plan Website


Faculty Mentor: Lisa Dunaway
Department: Urban Planning
Community Partner: East Central Neighborhood Association
Students: Joshua Bannister, Josh Campbell, Brendyn Cyrus, Matt Dixon, Alyssa Flandermeyer, Lauren Gillingham, Gregory Huss, Kenta Lanham, Keaton Osborn, Alexander Pormen, Ellen Randall, Ikechukwu Robert-Eze, Paige Story, Taylor Sweet, Shannon Szabo, Jordan Wyatt

Let’s Build!

This immersive learning project was a partnership between the Ball State construction management program and the Ross Center, located on the south side of Muncie. Let’s Build is part of the elementary outreach initiative developed by the Ball State construction management program in 2015. The construction industry is facing a severe workforce shortage. The goal of the program is to introduce students to the construction industry at a young age. The project team worked with elementary school students on a weekly basis at the Ross Center. Through hands-on activities, the students learned about construction, careers in construction, and construction safety. The students also assisted the project team with building an outdoor bench for the Ross Center.


Fall 2018

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Warrner
Department: Construction Management and Interior Design
Community Partner: Longfellow Elementary School
Students:Aaron Albright, Kathy Berryhill, Hayden Castor, Aaron Davis, Michale Delong, Grant Denney, Reid Dettmer, David Dickey, Jordan Harrison, Nathan Heine, Susan Lamermayer, Austin McNally, Danny Nestorovski, Nate Netzhammer, Grant Small, Jacob Swales, Isaiah Swanigan, Zack Taylor, Jacob Wendrickx, Morgan Wiley


Fall 2016

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Warrner
Department: Technology
Community Partner: Ross Center
Students: Joel Bolen, Chase Clark, Anthony Cook, Nate Cox, Kendal Franz, Mark Fritz, Sarah Galloway, Jake Leonard, Cody Smith, Brad Wells, Robert Yaggi

Fall 2016 Ball State Immersive Learning Projects

Ball State faculty, students, and community partners are working together this fall on a number of immersive learning projects in and around Muncie.

Let’s Build!
Community Partner:  Ross Center
Faculty Mentor:  Jennifer Warrner, Department of Technology

Delaware County Historical Society Strategic Plan
Community Partner:  Delaware County Historical Society
Faculty Mentor:  Robert V. Morris, Department of History

East Central Neighborhood Action Plan
Community Partner:  East Central Neighborhood Association
Faculty Mentor:  Lisa Dunaway, Department of Urban Planning

Elementary Maker Workshops:  Making an Interactive STEAM Exhibit with Elementary Pre-service Teachers and Children
Community Partner:  Burris Laboratory School
Faculty Mentor:  Kate Shively, Department of Elementary Education 

Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders:  Character and Leadership Development at the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie
Community Partner:  Boys & Girls Club of Muncie
Faculty Mentor:  Peggy Fisher, Department of Communication Studies

Families for Forward Thinking:  Partnering with Parents in the 21st Century
Community Partner:  Wee Wisdom Nursery School and Child Care Facility
Faculty Mentor:  Stacey Allred, Department of Elementary Education 

Sustainability Park for Northwest Muncie
Community Partner:  Red-tail Land Conservancy
Faculty Mentor:  Dave Ferguson, Department of Landscape Architecture 

Jacket Copy Creative: Covering All Your Communication Needs
Community Partner:  Whitely Community Council
Faculty Mentor:  Eva Grouling Snider, Department of English

Unmasked: The Stigma of Meth
Community Partner:  Ball Brothers Foundation
Faculty Mentors:  Terry Heifetz, Department of Telecommunications, Juli Metzger, Department of Journalism

Narrative Contemporary Dance
Community Partner:  Cornerstone Center for the Arts
Faculty Mentors:  Vladimir Stadnik, Department of Theatre and Dance

Preventing Financial Exploitation of Older Adults
Community Partner:  Muncie Delaware Senior Center
Faculty Mentor:  Ronald Dolon, Department of Social Work

Riverside-Normal City:  Portrait of a Middletown Neighborhood in a Post-Industrial Age
Community Partner:  Riverside-Normal Neighborhood Association, Building Better Neighborhoods
Faculty Mentor:  Jennifer Erickson, Department of Anthropology

Shafer Leadership – Community Needs Assessment
Community Partner:  Shafer Leadership Academy
Faculty Mentor:  Melinda Messineo, Department of Sociology

Thomas Park – Avondale Neighborhood Action Plan

The Thomas Park/Avondale Neighborhood Action Plan (TPANAP) is a citizen-generated policy regarding the future of the neighborhood, containing initiatives that will developed by the residents of the neighborhood with the assistance of the students.  The TPANAP will fall under the umbrella of the Muncie Action Plan (MAP), which is a strategic guide for the city to create an action agenda for the future.  A partnership has been established with MAP and Ball State University to help with the organization of neighborhoods, to assist with needs assessment/goal setting and to develop collaborative projects that meet the unique needs of each neighborhood.  In addition to the Action Plan, a TPANAP Handbook will also be produced as a document to aid citizen planners when they begin to enact initiatives from the Plan.

Learn more by visiting their website: Thomasparkavondale.wordpress.com.


Faculty Mentor:  Lisa Dunaway
Department:  Urban Planning
Community Partner:  Thomas Park – Avondale Neighborhood Association
Students: Unai Miguel Andres, Robin Behery, Simran Bhinder, Zane Bishop, Jessie Boshell, Julia Chanen, Chelsea Fenimore, Tiffany Gehrke, Cody Hedges, Amber Janzen, Paul Jones, KyeongHyun Kim, Sravani Mikkilineni

Serve to Learn Youth Development Project and Focus Groups

The Whitely Community Council would like to create a youth focused TimeBank.  This project team obtained data from community youth about the experiences they would like to “withdraw” as well as the assets they could “deposit” as participants in the program.  This information would be used to increase students’ awareness of and interest in the “Serve to Learn” TimeBank program as well as help them articulate their personal interests and assets.  To gather the asset data and foster program engagement, BSU students conducted activity-based focus groups with Muncie area youth.  This data gathered will help the committee members design the TimeBank program.  In addition to developing research skills, BSU students connected with and increased empathy for the Muncie Community and learned about the principles of TimeBanking.


Youth Development Project Faculty Mentor:  Dorshele Stewart
Departments:  History
Community Partner:  Whitely Community Council
Students: Elyssia Anderson, Lauren Borst, Michelle Caneva, Hayley Eckert, Victoria Fehr, Thomas Harrell, Victoria Harris, Deidre Henderson, Mercedes Hoover, Samantha Maethner, Kirsten Neal, Samantha Reason, Brianna Refner, Nina Richardson, Eleonora Smith, Eric Southerland, Danielle Wellman, Kaylyn West, Justice Williams, Brandon Wyllie

Time Bank Focus Groups Faculty Mentor:  Melinda Messineo
Department:  Sociology
Community Partner:  Whitley Community Safety Committee
Students: Sonia Brewer, Victoria Foster, Hallie Johns, Grace Kelly, Braderick Morrison, Jessica Oracheff, Keanna Peppers, Danielle Staley, Abigail Stellwagen, Christina Valdez, Brianna Williams

Whitely Community Safety Committee Focus Groups

The Whitely Community Council Public Safety Committee has been discussing the national dialogue regarding police and community tensions and how those feelings may be reflected in Muncie Delaware County.  This project team conducted interviews and focus groups with Muncie Delaware County residents and police about their perceptions of local police-community relations.  This data will help the Public Safety Committee design programming with the objective of improving communication, understanding, and safety.


Faculty Mentor:  Melinda Messineo
Department:  Sociology
Community Partner:  Whitley Community Safety Committee
Students: Nathan Ayers, Denasiha Christian, Brett Donley, Asia Flemings, Autumn Huse, Alicia Klingerman, Patrick Kluger, Savanna Paddock, Erin Phelps, Lara Schneider, Matthias Tankersley